Ivashka And Biryukov Reach SM Krishna Open Singles Final After Gripping 3-set Battles

Ilya Ivashka and Petr Bar Biryukov reached the SM Krishna Memorial Open men’s singles final on May 22. Both players came through three-set semi-finals in Bengaluru on Friday. Ivashka beat third seed Hamish Stewart, while Biryukov edged second seed Alastair Gray in a late tie-break finish.

Indian hopes stayed strong in the men’s doubles as Adil Kalyanpur and Mukund Sasikumar made the final. The Indian pair beat second seeds Charles Barry and Joshua Charlton in straight sets. Another Indian team, Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Saketh Myneni, lost in the other semi-final.

Both singles matches lasted beyond two hours and tested fitness and control. Ivashka won 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in two hours and five minutes. Biryukov then took two hours and one minute to win 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5). The results set up an Ivashka versus Biryukov final.

Ivashka started well by breaking serve in the second game of the first set. The former top-50 player then held serve with steady hitting to take it 6-3. Stewart responded in the second set with deeper returns. Stewart broke in the second and eighth games and won the set 6-3.

The deciding set swung back to Ivashka through longer rallies and forced errors. Ivashka broke in the sixth game and again in the eighth. The final set ended 6-2 to complete the win. Stewart finished with eight aces, while Ivashka struck five. Ivashka still controlled the key points.

Gray began the match sharply and broke in the opening game. Gray broke again in the ninth game and took the first set 6-3. Biryukov lifted the return pressure in the second set. The key break came in the fifth game, and Biryukov held on to level it 6-4.

The third set saw breaks traded at tense stages. Biryukov broke in the fifth game and moved close to victory. Gray then broke back in the tenth game to force a tie-break. Biryukov relied on first serves in the closing moments. The tie-break ended 7-5 for a place in the final.

SM Krishna Memorial Open doubles keeps Indian interest alive

Kalyanpur and Sasikumar kept the run going with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Barry and Charlton. Poonacha and Myneni, who won the Karnataka Open doubles title last week, exited in straight sets. Biryukov and Grigoriy Lomakin of Kazakhstan won 6-3, 6-4 to reach the final.

The results from May 22 confirmed the singles finalists and the doubles title match-up. Ivashka and Biryukov carried the singles field through close three-set tests. Kalyanpur and Sasikumar delivered the strongest Indian showing on the day. The doubles final also featured Biryukov after the win with Lomakin.

Winners and Results